1984 Audi 4000 S 2.2 inline 5 from North America

Summary:

I love this car! Sitting in the car and listening to the inline 5 purr is music to my ears!

Faults:

I got this car for free from a friend that had it sitting in his garage for two years. The car needed the following parts replaced to get it up and running initially: the oil pan, brake lines, radiator hose, front rotors and brake pads, exhaust system, and the parking brake cable.

Later on, the front suspension bushings and steering control arms were replaced to fix the wobbly and stiff steering feel at 190,000km.

Front bearing replaced at 190,000km.

The dashboard is warped and cracked up.

General Comments:

Even though this car is 19 years old, it is my favorite car to date. I guess the previous owners of the car treated it like gold, 'cause I've yet to experience any electrical problems as I've so frequently read about other Audi's of the 1980s.

My car is fully loaded except for leather and quattro. Everything works perfectly except for the front heated seats and the power mirrors, (who cares!)

There is NO RUST anywhere on the car, even the underside! Fellow Audi fanatics are amazed at the condition of the car. The car does need a paint job, UV rays have faded the paint on the top side of the car.

The engine used to have that annoying ticking noise, until I used this funky super oil additive. It pours out slower and thicker than molasses, but the noise disappeared instantly.

There is an oil leak from the cam cover, and the EGR valve doesn't work. Fuel economy isn't that good, but I don't care 'cause the car is so cool.

The free revving I5 engine pulls strong and has a beautiful exhaust note. The 3spd auto could use one more gear, but is shifts very smooth none-the-less. There is a lot of body roll, and the brake pedal is really soft. It's been checked out by different garages, but they all say it can't get any better.

I should replace the front driver seat because it's really worn out. The side bolsters are flat, and the upright is sunken in. My back hurts after long drives.

1984 Audi 4000 S 1.8 normally aspirated from North America

Summary:

Faults:

Odometer intermittent for a while then failed. This is a universal feature in this generation of Audis.

The inner CV joint failed, relatively easy to replace the whole axle.

The window power switches had to be removed, disassembled, contacts sanded and put back together every 2 months or so.

The door handles are iffy, but never actually gave out on this one.

Rear left door wouldn't lock (though it appeared to be locked).

Front rotors warped.

Front shocks replaced.

The auto transmission hesitated going into reverse and sometimes first - probably a clogged governor, but ran like that for 3 years without further deterioration.

Piston slap at certain rpms ,but no oil consumption.

That's it in 3 years and lots of miles. Always started on first try. Surprisingly reliable, especially considering it probably had a lot more miles than indicated. No rust, solid build quality (aside from certain hardware items).

General Comments:

The car's performance was anemic, to say the least. The 3 speed automatic coupled to a small though free revving engine was a joke - Audi obviously didn't want to build an automatic transmission in the first place and this one was an after thought. As a result of the above, highway driving was annoying because one knew that the car could comfortably be cruising at 1000 rpm less at a given speed.

Handling was so-so, this version was non-quattro and had a solid rear axle. Stable at highspeed, but lots of body roll in corners.

Other than that, it was an enjoyable car to own and drive. Great comfortable steering wheel and feel in everyday driving (don't push it though). Seats comfy, cruise control, sunroof, A/C, power mirrors and windows etc. Spacious trunk.

14th Oct 2004, 03:03

I would really like to know who wrote this survey. I think I might be the owner of this car, or one exactly like it. I found it to be written very accurately because my car has all the exact same symptoms.

I found this site while searching for a cheap front axle for this type of car.

26th Apr 2004, 13:41

Hi there,

I just bought a 1984 Audi 4000s quattro, the doors do have problems, the back door does not lock on the passanger side, and the back door on the drivers side sticks, I was wondering if you had any solutions? I liked your opinion on the Audi.